It's December 21. The streets of southern Ontario are glistening with a layer of ice. The trees are beautiful and there's a sense of magic when I step out into our neighbourhood.

Now that we're three weeks into December, how have you been doing with your holiday health goals? Did you have any? This has been the first year I haven't baked treats for several parties we've had and will be having. Busy with the demands of work and home life, I've ironically gone in the opposite direction, avoiding the processed treats (nutrient conscious, or not) that come around this time of year . I've had this mind set that I really really really want to enjoy the holidays and I really want to feel my best. In fact, there was and still is so much to do that I'm not sure I would be able to do it all if I was feeling subpar, bogged down by excess sugar and salt.

So instead of doing any holiday baking, I developed an allergy free protein bar that works well, texturally speaking. I phrase it in this manner because protein bars will always taste like protein bars - kind of chalky. While I am a huge advocate of 'food first, supplement second' I know that life gets busy. Especially in December. So if you're reaching for something convenient, why not make it a beneficial kind of convenient?

My recipe is inspired by the supplement bars made by Vega. Their Vibrancy bars are plant-based and they do their best to include a good macronutrient balance which results in a bar with a better carb:protein:fat ratio (and also includes omega-3). To give you the details, their Chocolate Decadence bar (which this recipe is inspired by) contains 24 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein and 7 g of fat (which includes 1g of omega 3). See below or go to their website here.

Vega Vibrancy Bar (Chocolate Decadence) Nutrition Facts

Vega Vibrancy Bar (Chocolate Decadence) Ingredient List

Nutritionally, I like the supplement bars Vega has to offer but they aren't allergy free. As usual my recipe is void of the top 10 priority food allergens. In terms of texture it has a bit of a chewiness that resembles a brownie. In terms of taste, it's got a nutty, chocolate banana combo going on. I didn't include sweeteners in this recipe, just three ripe bananas. If you like protein bars but like them tasty I suggest adding dried fruit. If you really feel the need to add sugar use a natural sweetener like coconut flower sugar or agave nectar. Play around with the recipe and create your own modifications. Then when you know you've got a crazy week ahead, make a batch and pull them out of the fridge one day at a time. :) Hectic days doesn't have to be a health hazard. Make health happen.

Here are the numbers for my recipe below. Do note that if you start adding ingredients to your recipe the numbers will change.

What you'll do:In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the bananas and pumpkin seed butter until softened. Mix well. Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until fully combined. Transfer your dough into a 9 x 13 glassware dish lined with parchment paper. With a piece of parchment paper, press the dough until it lines the entire bottom of the dish.

Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Take out the dough by lifting opposite corners of the parchment paper and transfer it onto a cutting board. Divide it into 16 bars. Wrap each bar with parchment paper or plastic wrap and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

*Crispy Rice by Nature Path is produced in a facility that uses peanuts, tree nuts or soy. If you cannot take this risk an allergy free alternative to this cereal is Perky's Crunchy Rice by Enjoy Life. The trade off is that Perky's Crunchy Rice is higher in calories (and the extra calories come mostly from carbs).

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*While recipes in this website do not directly contain the following food allergens: Eggs, milk, mustard, peanuts, seafood (fish, crustaceans and shellfish), sesame, soy, added sulphites, tree nuts and wheat, there is always a possibility that the ingredients listed in the recipe may have come in contact with one or more of the listed food allergens. It is highly recommended that you read ingredient labels carefully when purchasing products and to consult your physician if you have questions regarding whether or not a food should be consumed.